Sundre’s mayor spoke with the Round Up last week about progress made on several fronts over the past year.
When asked during a lengthy phone interview on Wednesday, Jan. 3 what were some highlights of 2017, Terry Leslie said, "one of the big ones has to be getting the roundabouts in on Main Avenue.”
The pilot project to trial three mini-roundabouts on Highway 27 at the intersections of Second, Third and Fourth streets had been on the books for about two years, and the plan was developed through a collaborative effort with Alberta Transportation officials, said Leslie.
"It was significant,” the mayor said, adding the project went from an initial budget of about $500,000 to roughly $1.18 million. That cost was fully covered by the provincial department, which is responsible for the long-term planning of Alberta’s highways as well as the oversight of designs, construction and maintenance.
The Main Avenue redesign was developed in response to concerns raised by the community regarding pedestrian safety and also to introduce traffic calming measures to reduce the speed of motorists while maintaining a flow. However, when considering the project, the mayor acknowledged there has been some controversy surrounding the changes, which were not universally backed by all residents, although the option selected did garner the most support following public consultations.
"The Main Avenue project will be evaluated this year to ensure as many concerns as possible can be addressed.”
Another significant project that will help to pave the way for future growth and expansion was the replacement of all underground infrastructure beneath Centre Street North from Sixth Avenue to 12th Avenue. Construction on that $2.2-million development, which was also in part designed to calm traffic, started a bit later in the season, so a few finishing touches such as a final lift of asphalt, connecting the walking trail and some landscaping will be completed in the spring.
The area’s projected population increase over the coming years could possibly result in as many as 6,000 people coming into Sundre from north of the municipality. So there is certainly the potential for future residential development along the west side of James River Road north of 12th Avenue. Additionally, more residential properties could be scheduled on the east side of the James River Road immediately north of 12th Avenue, although there are some restrictions related to the proximity of Sundre’s nearby waste water treatment plant, he said.
Further west of town, plans are also being considered to accommodate potential industrial and commercial development north of the junction of highways 22 and 27, the mayor said.
When preparing for the future, attempting to forecast as far ahead as 20 to 25 years out and beyond is an important part of the planning process. And the purchase and acquisition of certain tools today will also go a long way towards ensuring functional priorities for tomorrow, he said.
Last year, the municipality obtained valuable new equipment that has already substantially assisted staff in identifying leaks in the municipality’s treated water supply as well as problematic groundwater infiltration into the waste water system that results in a loss of capacity at the sewage lagoon, which in turn hampers potential growth, he said.
"We were able to make significant fixes to reduce leaks we have underground,” the mayor said, adding, "that might not sound pretty and sexy, but it’s really significant.”
The operations department has been working hard to identify where the worst leaks are to establish a priority plan with the long-term objective of extending the lifespans of both the waste water and water treatment plants, he said.
Another key factor in developing future plans is building and expanding working relationships and partnerships with neighbours such as Mountain View County, which following negotiations last year, agreed to cover the full cost of operating Sundre’s recycling centre, he said.
"That’s to the benefit of both residents of the town and county,” he said.
"Mountain View County stepped right up,” the mayor said, pointing out roughly 80 per cent of the facility’s users come in from outside the town’s boundaries.
That agreement is part of both municipalities’ ongoing efforts to reduce the amount of waste that goes to the landfill, which Leslie hailed as "a real success story.”
Furthermore, Mountain View County also approached local officials last fall to voluntarily discuss an offer that would increase recreation and culture funding by 40 per cent. Although the previous funding agreement expired at the end of December, an extension was approved to allow further opportunity to negotiate anew, he said.
Under updated regulations outlined in the new Municipal Government Act, municipalities such as the Town of Sundre and Mountain View County will have to embark on significant efforts to negotiate better ways to cover costs for shared services as well as to determine not only what kinds of developments make the most sense, but also where they should go, he said.
"We’ve got a lot of planning to do together to grow, because we share borders.”
Citing as an example the local effort to save long-term care beds at the hospital by lobbying and working with the government, the mayor additionally expressed optimism that the Sundre community’s commitment to a spirit of collaboration will help to carry the municipality towards a better future.
"We are a community that has a reputation, certainly with Alberta Health Services, of being a vibrant and innovative problem-solving community,” he said.
"We don’t sit with our hands out — we seek to understand the issues and suggest solutions.”
